@rustyrockets on #Woolwich

Superb piece of writing from Russell Brand on his blog reflecting on his own response to the killing of Drummer Lee Digby in Woolwich, social media and how to respond to it. Set aside whatever preconceptions you might have based on Brand’s comedy or acting or writings and give it a proper read. Brand walks through his own response on Twitter, the reaction to it, and his need to return to it in a more meaningful way in the blog. He evidences an emotional intelligence and degree of humanity that many will find hard to reconcile with the Russell Brand they know from the media.

What adds depth to it is that Brand simultaneously (and subconsciously) challenges you to rethink your perception of him in the process of having to rethink your own attitudes towards events like Woolwich.

Here are a couple of extracts to whet your appetite.

This is the most tricky bit to understand. What I think is that all over our country, all over our planet there are huge numbers of people who feel alienated and sometimes victimised by the privileged and the powerful, whether that’s rich people, powerful corporations or occupying nations. They feel that their interests are not being represented and, in many cases, know that their friends and families are being murdered by foreign soldiers. I suppose people like that may look to their indigenous theology for validation and to sanctify their, to some degree understandable, feelings of rage.

…and another sample…

The establishment too is relatively happy when different groups of desperate people point the finger at each other because it prevents blame being correctly directed at them. Whenever we are looking for the solution to a problem we must identify who has power. By power I mean influence and money. The answer is not for us to move further from one another, crouched in opposing fortresses constructed from vindictive words.

That’s just two short extracts, there is lots more in there worth taking the time to read and reflect on.